Predictions of when international flights may resume/bans lifted

The vaccine certificates exist in the Medicare app and can be displayed from the app, or downloaded into your digital wallet to be displayed.

The passport app as part of the NSW Service check-in app will have downloaded the details of your vaccination so that you only use one app at check in. The SNSW app will be in effect a digital wallet, which it already is as you can hold you drivers licence there as well. So everything in one place.
Sorry, I didn't make myself clear. I meant the vaccine passport for overseas travel which they have been talking about on TV this morning.
 
Can someone explain to me how the new vaccine passport being discussed at the moment is different from the existing vaccine certificates we all have. Thanks.
Definitely can’t call it a vaccine passport, the bloke in chief is only going to allow it to be called a certificate. Yesterday he said that it would be integrated into state based checkin apps so I imagine that it will have some kind of verification mechanism (that the current Medicare one lacks). So I imagine you only get the green tick if you check in and are certifiably vaxxed.

Of course having multiple state based systems seems like an irritant for interstate travel and a waste of resources to make all the separate systems IATA compliant.
 
Australia's highest-earning Velocity Frequent Flyer credit card: Offer expires: 21 Jan 2025
- Earn 60,000 bonus Velocity Points
- Get unlimited Virgin Australia Lounge access
- Enjoy a complimentary return Virgin Australia domestic flight each year

AFF Supporters can remove this and all advertisements

Sorry, I didn't make myself clear. I meant the vaccine passport for overseas travel which they have been talking about on TV this morning.

So there's two things:

Your international vaccine passport which would be associated with your actual passport, either directly (stored in the chip) or a QR code that could be scanned to verify. I don't think they've settled on the technology but I know IATA was working on something. That's for the purposes of entering countries and showing to airlines on international travel.

Then the domestic vaccine passport, which for NSW will be built into the Service NSW app, potentially showing ID, vaccine status and QR code check in all from the same screen. I imagine other states will implement something similar. NSW has said it won't be using the standard Medicare certificate as it would be too onerous on venues (your vaccine status will be recorded with your check in so for the venues that don't require a vaccine, unvaccinated will be called first if there is a contact).
 
Definitely can’t call it a vaccine passport, the bloke in chief is only going to allow it to be called a certificate. Yesterday he said that it would be integrated into state based checkin apps so I imagine that it will have some kind of verification mechanism (that the current Medicare one lacks). So I imagine you only get the green tick if you check in and are certifiably vaxxed.

Of course having multiple state based systems seems like an irritant for interstate travel and a waste of resources to make all the separate systems IATA compliant.

Linking this with the QR check in would make for 100% check-in amongst the vaccinated.
 
So there's two things:

Your international vaccine passport which would be associated with your actual passport, either directly (stored in the chip) or a QR code that could be scanned to verify. I don't think they've settled on the technology but I know IATA was working on something. That's for the purposes of entering countries and showing to airlines on international travel.

Then the domestic vaccine passport, which for NSW will be built into the Service NSW app, potentially showing ID, vaccine status and QR code check in all from the same screen. I imagine other states will implement something similar. NSW has said it won't be using the standard Medicare certificate as it would be too onerous on venues (your vaccine status will be recorded with your check in so for the venues that don't require a vaccine, unvaccinated will be called first if there is a contact).
Be interesting to see how that folds in to other countries.

like my passport is UK but NHS wouldnt have any info like medicare does about my vaccinations
 
While you might like it to be one or the other, it's very clear this is not going to be the case (at least initially) and repeating this like some sort of mantra won't change things.
I agree. It’s just not going to happen.
Even the UK which has far higher vaccination rates than we have does not have open free borders for vaccinated travelers.
 
NSW Premier seemingly saying between 70% and 80% they will offer some sort of home quarantine for all Australians.

So perhaps a double quarantine for someone wanting to end up in a covid-zero jurisdiction (eg AirBnB in Sydney, then a second quarantine).

Edit: the add ABC reporting:

NSW considering alternatives to hotel quarantine as vaccine rates rise​

The NSW Premier is asked if hotel quarantine will be wound back before Sydney reaches 80 per cent double-dose vaccinations levels. She said a transition is likely and considerations are underway.

"We're looking through what is a safe way to manage that. We had two cases overnight overseas, it's important to quarantine because the cases may develop in the second week and yet, you know, thousands of cases still in the community. So there will be a transition in the quarantine system from 70 per cent double dose and 80 per cent double dose and one we hit 80 per cent double dose we will definitely be opening up Sydney Airport to welcome home Australians, and with less pressure on having them in the quarantine system it actually means we can welcome home more Australians who are double-dosed vaccinated because they will essentially be required to be in quarantine for a period of time," Ms Berejiklian said.

"The health experts will give us guidance on what length that should be. I know in some countries it's as low as seven days. It might be when they land they take a quick test, and if it's negative it might be a shorter time period if they're double dosed. But in any event we're relying on the health advice to guide our decision-making but I'm confident there be transition between 70 to 80 per cent.

"There are draft papers that we're working on at the moment and I'm pleased to show other states how that's possible. And we'll welcome home Australians from all states as a sign of good faith, as our contribution to the national plan and as a contribution to say you can live with COVID as difficult as it is and you can welcome home Australians, reunite families, without jeopardising life."
 
Last edited:
NSW Premier seemingly saying between 70% and 80% they will offer some sort of home quarantine for all Australians.

So perhaps a double quarantine for someone wanting to end up in a covid-zero jurisdiction (eg AirBnB in Sydney, then a second quarantine).
Well if they do that it could be that initially they try to reduce the backlog of those already overseas between 70% and 80% or only allow anyone to depart that commits to stay away for 3 months. Then as the backlog drops and we get up to 80% that they allow more freedom for anyone to depart to select countries.
 
Well if they do that it could be that initially they try to reduce the backlog of those already overseas between 70% and 80% or only allow anyone to depart that commits to stay away for 3 months. Then as the backlog drops and we get up to 80% that they allow more freedom for anyone to depart to select countries.
There was no mention of that.

I edited my previous post to include the quote as captured by ABC.
 
The point I think it is that it would be fair to allow some opportunity for those stuck overseas to return before allowing anyone still in Australia to outbid them for flights back to Australia.

Relaxing restrictions on those already overseas coming home between 70% and 80% and then allowing those in Australia to depart more freely once we hit 80% would help facilitate that.

A commitment from those leaving without an exemption to stay away at least a month or two months or whatever for an initial period would be another option.
 
NSW Premier seemingly saying between 70% and 80% they will offer some sort of home quarantine for all Australians.

So perhaps a double quarantine for someone wanting to end up in a covid-zero jurisdiction (eg AirBnB in Sydney, then a second quarantine).

Edit: the add ABC reporting:

NSW considering alternatives to hotel quarantine as vaccine rates rise​

The NSW Premier is asked if hotel quarantine will be wound back before Sydney reaches 80 per cent double-dose vaccinations levels. She said a transition is likely and considerations are underway.

"We're looking through what is a safe way to manage that. We had two cases overnight overseas, it's important to quarantine because the cases may develop in the second week and yet, you know, thousands of cases still in the community. So there will be a transition in the quarantine system from 70 per cent double dose and 80 per cent double dose and one we hit 80 per cent double dose we will definitely be opening up Sydney Airport to welcome home Australians, and with less pressure on having them in the quarantine system it actually means we can welcome home more Australians who are double-dosed vaccinated because they will essentially be required to be in quarantine for a period of time," Ms Berejiklian said.

"The health experts will give us guidance on what length that should be. I know in some countries it's as low as seven days. It might be when they land they take a quick test, and if it's negative it might be a shorter time period if they're double dosed. But in any event we're relying on the health advice to guide our decision-making but I'm confident there be transition between 70 to 80 per cent.

"There are draft papers that we're working on at the moment and I'm pleased to show other states how that's possible. And we'll welcome home Australians from all states as a sign of good faith, as our contribution to the national plan and as a contribution to say you can live with COVID as difficult as it is and you can welcome home Australians, reunite families, without jeopardising life."
No double quarantine if you live in NSW :)
 
I think if they eased the caps the ‘want to return home’ crowd would cease to be a problem pretty quick as the prohibitive cost of HQ and flights with ~15 available seats would end.
 
Well if they do that it could be that initially they try to reduce the backlog of those already overseas between 70% and 80% or only allow anyone to depart that commits to stay away for 3 months. Then as the backlog drops and we get up to 80% that they allow more freedom for anyone to depart to select countries.

There shouldn't be a backlog as there will be zero caps for vaccinated travellers as per the national plan.

Absolutely no reason to put a minimum stay requirement. In fact the national plan says there will be no outbound travel restriction.

Time difference between 70% and 80% will be about a month.

If states like WA and QLD don't participate that's another issue. It might be a condition of boarding that you have a suitable place to quarantine in.
 
No double quarantine if you live in NSW :)
Yes, if you want to end up in Sydney, but with regional NSW (which the goal of covid-zero is still in play) I'm not 100% sure. NSW authorities will for sure "trial" single quarantine for regional NSW and hope there is no spillage (eg after quarantine, the traveller gets covid from a local).
 
7 Days for a low risk country is still very onerous, there wont be any meaningful recovery with that.
 
7 Days for a low risk country is still very onerous, there wont be any meaningful recovery with that.

There will still be quarantine free travel with certain countries (like we had with NZ) - Singapore, UK and US have been suggested by the federal ministers.
 
There will still be quarantine free travel with certain countries (like we had with NZ) - Singapore, UK and US have been suggested by the federal ministers.

Singapore definitely a "no quarantine" country. UK and USA cant see it, especially the USA - even Europe have banned Americans again (Possibly political)


"The length of that quarantine period could also be reduced to as little as 5-7 days for fully-vaccinated arrivals from countries considered to be in a 'low risk' category"
 
Well if they do that it could be that initially they try to reduce the backlog of those already overseas between 70% and 80% or only allow anyone to depart that commits to stay away for 3 months. Then as the backlog drops and we get up to 80% that they allow more freedom for anyone to depart to select countries.
Please don’t give them ideas.
I’d like to visit my family in the UK ASAP but I don’t have 3 months leave.
 

Become an AFF member!

Join Australian Frequent Flyer (AFF) for free and unlock insider tips, exclusive deals, and global meetups with 65,000+ frequent flyers.

AFF members can also access our Frequent Flyer Training courses, and upgrade to Fast-track your way to expert traveller status and unlock even more exclusive discounts!

AFF forum abbreviations

Wondering about Y, J or any of the other abbreviations used on our forum?

Check out our guide to common AFF acronyms & abbreviations.
Back
Top